Almost 1,200 years ago, when the Zin'Charu disappeared, only one of their flying fortresses was saved by a man known now as Lord Shadow, who transported his entire city onto the Plane of Shadow. Ever since, it had been lost to human knowledge, but in 726SG by a hidden ritual it was returned to the prime. Quickly taking advantage of the tumultuous situation in Tharis, the newly returned Shadovar quickly established themselves as the new rulers of the City of Shadows. Intensely dedicated to the worship of Lord Shadow, their once-mortal leader, the Shadovar believe themselves to be the future rulers of the realm under His divine power.

Not all Shadovar are shades. Shadovar is the name given to the Zin'Charu people who survived their extended passage through the Plane of Shadows. Lord Shadow and his children, the Princes of Shade, select only the most loyal and resourceful among the Shadovar to become shades. Empowered by a secret ritual known only to the Princes, these candidates surrender a piece of their soul to become bonded to the stuff of shadow. This exchange results in an extraordinarily long lifespan for the resulting shade, and an empowerment far beyond the means of normal mortals.

Shades look very much like humans, although their skin is gray to inky black, and their eyes are of a dark solid shade with no pupils. They are thinner than most humans, and tend to prefer dark-hued clothes and equipment. Shadovar are never made into shades until they have reached adulthood; there is no such thing as a young shade, and the offspring of those empowered are still normal humans.

Shades are an extremely politically- and religiously-aligned race, and are expected to be played as such; even beyond the choice of the most loyal for the ritual, the gift is quickly taken away from those who betray the Shadovar cause, leaving them 'mere humans' once more. Please take this into account before rolling the race, as they will be expected to be played accordingly.